The coming of winter marks the start of the holiday season. While many festive shots are taken indoors, some of the most memorable holiday images are outdoor action shots. They may feature skating, sledding, snowmen, snowballs or kids and grownups simply having fun bundled up in winter garb. But wintertime photography doesn’t stop there.
In addition, a surprising number of intrepid shooters brave frigid temperatures to capture picturesque scenic vistas of snowcapped hills and wildlife. Moreover, there are those who are drawn to a variety of winter sports, including skiing, snowboarding, and ice hockey.
Getting your customers fully prepared for the joys and challenges of winter photography is a great way to form lasting relationships that transcend the changing seasons.
For starters, we’ve selected 12 outstanding accessories, all aimed at providing cold weather photographers with a more successful and satisfying wintertime shooting experience. They are just a small sample of the winter accessory niche you can promote along with the unique creative opportunities wintertime photography provides.
Wintertime Photography Accessories
Davis & Sanford Traverse TR654C-36 Tripod
Unlike metal tripods that can stick to skin with painful results when the thermometer dips to zero, wintertime shooters can grab this carbon fiber beauty barehanded without any ouch. It will accommodate a pro DSLR with a long lens, or an equivalent mirrorless outfit weighing up to 12 pounds.
It has four-section legs that enable it to fold to a mere 18.5 inches for optimum storage and transport. Moreover, its twist-lock legs have three independent leg angle positions as well as foam grip cushioned insulation. It also has an “easy glide” center post with a separate short center post for grounder capability down to 9 inches.
Convertible rubber-to-spike feet are great for outdoor shooting on rough terrain, on ice and in snow. They also provide stable indoor shooting without marring floors. The tripod’s impressive maximum height of 65 inches allows convenient eye-level shooting, and it has a center post hook for adding weight to increase stability. The tripod weighs 3.25 pounds with a ball head. $175.99. tiffen.com
LensCoat LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers
Those who own a serviceable metal tripod lacking foam or plastic leg covers can easily press it into service for cold weather shooting. They just need to install this set of three tripod leg covers. They’re made of soft-to-the-touch closed cell foam padding and neoprene.
Moreover, they not only prevent hands from getting
painfully stuck to cold metal tripod legs, but they also protect the tripod from minor nicks and scratches. And they make carrying the tripod easier on the shoulders.
The leg covers even provide a bit of camouflage, a plus when shooting wildlife on the trail. In addition, their Velcro fasteners make installation and removal quick and easy. LegCoats come in a wide variety of sizes. Each set retails for $42.99. lenscoat.com
Sigma WR Ceramic Protector Filter
This unique filter takes lens protection to a higher level. It employs a super-hard ceramic substrate that combines an impressive 99.7% transmittance value, a hardness greater than chemically strengthened glass, and greater flexibility than sapphire crystal.
As a result, the ceramic filter delivers superior shock, scratch and impact resistance even under adverse winter conditions. It also features a water-repellent, antistatic coating that resists water droplets and fingerprint smudging and is also easier to clean. The filter comes in sizes from 67mm to 105mm. $93–$315. sigmaphoto.com
Giotto’s Optical Lens Cleaning Bundle
This is a great accessory to have on hand in any season, but especially in winter when blowing snow or sleet is more likely to wind up on a lens. The CL 1001 bundle includes a 30ml bottle of Giotto’s optical cleaning solution for all glass and plastic surfaces; a white microfiber cloth; a retractable goat hair brush; and 10 cotton swabs with paper shafts, with pointed and blunt ends.
In addition, the bundle includes a small (5.3-inch) Giotto’s Rocket Blaster blower made from natural rubber. The German-designed blower has a unique inlet valve design that prevents it from blowing back dust. Therefore, it is suitable even for cleaning delicate sensors. $14.99. giottosusa.com
Tiffen UV Protector Filter
This high-quality filter protects the lens from physical damage caused by ice, snow, debris and impact. Furthermore, it also absorbs ultraviolet rays that tend to produce excessive bluishness and/or haziness in snow scenes that include expanses of snow, ice, sky or water.
The filter can be kept on the lens at all times and is made using Tiffen’s proprietary ColorCore technology. This process involves laminating the filter substrate between two pieces of optical glass, grinding it flat to a tolerance of 0.0001 inch, then mounting it in precision metal rings. The UV protector filter is available in sizes from 25mm to 82mm. $8.99–$20.99. tiffen.com
SKB iSeries Waterproof Case II
Made to military specifications, this rugged injection-molded case is designed to accommodate a pro DSLR body (without battery grip), up to two lenses, lens hoods, memory cards, plus accessories. Moreover, it provides unsurpassed protection under adverse conditions. The main lens compartment will hold a 24–70mm or 70–200mm lens by removing foam blocks; it also works with a wide variety of other lenses.
The case is constructed of an ultrahigh-strength polypropylene copolymer resin. It features a gasketed, waterproof, submersible design (IP67) that’s resistant to corrosion as well as impact damage. Other features include: molded-in hinges; a trigger-release latch; a snap-down over-molded cushion grip handle; and an automatic ambient pressure equalization valve (MIL-STD-648C). $99.99. skbcases.com
Think Tank Photo Hydrophobia DSLR 70–200 V3.0 Rain Cover
This particularly Hydrophobia rain cover, available for preorder, protects a DSLR with a 70–200mm f/2.8 or smaller lens from downpours, flying dust and snow squalls. The rugged three-layer camera/lens cover is seam-sealed and DWR coated for maximum protection. In addition, it has an oversize window to view the camera’s LCD, and it provides easy access to camera controls.
The rain cover comes with an integral, replaceable shoulder strap, a rainproof front element cover, a nonslip adjustable lens strap and a carrying pouch. A pocket built into the rain cover holds an optional eyepiece ($19.75) that’s required for full access to the viewfinder. The eyepiece is available in versions to fit most current DSLR and mirrorless cameras. $124.75. thinktankphoto.com
Bright Tangerine ExoSkin Gloves
These professional, fitted leather gloves are not intended as a substitute for heavy insulated hiking gloves, but they will protect fingers and hands from the cold while shooting. They also provide a secure grip, have touch-screen compatible fingertips and a terrycloth thumb back for wiping away liquids.
Offering maximum dexterity, flexibility and durability, the gloves will withstand the rigors of abuse in adverse weather conditions, preventing bruising, scratching and abrasions. In addition, they feature a Velcro strap for fast accessibility while ensuring a snug fit. The gloves come in five sizes from small to XXL. $34. brighttangerine.com
LanParte 6000mAh Portable Li-Ion Battery
This ingenious unit lets photographers keep shooting in the dead of winter by plugging its included dummy battery adapter into a DSLR or mirrorless camera and powering it from its external DC power supply of 7.4–8.2 volts.
In addition, LanParte offers the battery kit for various Sony, Nikon and Canon cameras. Photographers can keep its tethered rechargeable 6000mAh Li-Ion battery in a warm pocket next to their bodies to maintain its capacity in subfreezing temperatures. It is an excellent potable solution for extended outdoor cold weather shooting. $88–$94. lanparte.us
Pelican Desiccant Silica Gel
Compatible with all cases, this high-capacity silica gel packet removes moisture from the case. It also helps prevent condensation from forming inside cases when taking them from a warm to a cooler environment.
It is a simple but effective item that addresses one of the main problems encountered in cold weather photography. It comes in a rugged metal case. $9.95. pelican.com
Vortex Media Storm Jacket
As its name suggests, Vortex Media’s medium-size camera cover protects a DSLR fitted with a medium telephoto lens (with an overall length of 7–15 inches) from moisture, snow, dirt and blazing sun. Moreover, it enables photographers to keep shooting in rainy, drizzly and snowy environments.
It’s not intended as a heavy-duty cover, but Storm Jackets won’t lose their water repellency and are rugged enough to withstand the rigors of professional use. Plus the cover comes on and off in five seconds and stores in its zippered case. In addition, the cover has a drawstring at both ends so users can quickly customize the fit to suit their needs. Storm Jackets come in five sizes with lengths from small to XXL. Medium, in black, $34.95; in camo, $37. vortexmediastore.com
ExpoDisc 2.0
Are your customers’ snow scenes coming out too blue or too warm? With this ingeniously simple device they can custom set the white balance so snow shots look exactly like what they saw with their own eyes. The ExpoDisc calibration tool lets users quickly set white balance and exposure by clipping it into or holding it over the lens to determine the correct values. In addition, it provides 18% light transmission to ensure the correct settings.
It is also capable of dust mapping a sensor using the neutral image it creates. The ExpoDisc 2.0 also includes two warming filters (gels) that can add different levels of warmth for more pleasing skin tones. It’s made and calibrated in the USA and comes with a calibration certification card, a lanyard and carrying case. 77mm or 82mm, $49.95. expodisc.com
